Tasty Tuesday: Pow Wow Cafe

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If you’re looking for something to eat in Kensington Market, the problem isn’t finding something good; the problem is choosing between too many great options.

Last Saturday, presented with the dilemma of where to stuff our faces while wandering the market, we opted to try the newly opened Pow Wow Cafe.

We ordered off the chalkboard menu, opting to split the difference between breakfast and lunch. I ordered the pork tacos, my significant other ordered pork croquettes with poached eggs, and our dining companion ordered a short stack of sweet potato pancakes.

Pow Wow Cafe specializes in what they call Indian Tacos, where Ojibway frybread takes the place of tortillas. I can’t say that the result really brought tacos to mind, but it was pretty tasty, so whatever. The pulled pork came on a bed of cubed frybread, and was topped with cheddar, greens and a creamy goat cheese topping. The plate is messy as hell, but also super delicious.

For the curious, Ojibway frybread has an unfortunate history, coming as a result of rationing by colonial powers, forcing indigenous people to be creative with things like flour and lard. Frybread is basically a simple dough, deep-fried until it has a crunchy exterior.

The smoked pork croquettes are the very definition of overkill, with smoked pork formed into patties and fried. Topped with perfectly runny poached eggs, and potatoes on the side, this dish is both spectacular and spectacularly filling. It came with potatoes, greens and fruit on the side, the latter two providing a nice counterpoint to the meaty croquettes.

If your tastes run to the sweet, the sweet potato pancakes come with a tiny bottle of maple syrup on the side and cinnamon whipped cream on top. They were so fluffy that I was tempted to ask the chef for the recipe, but settled for making a note to order them on my next visit.